AUBURN HILLS >> Free agency begins July 1 and the biggest question for the Pistons is how will Greg Monroe’s restricted free agency pan out.

The Pistons have several options when it comes to Monroe. The first he works out a long-term deal with Detroit. At this point this option is unlikely since they have not agreed on a deal to this point.

The second option is he signs the qualifying offer of just less than $5.5 million for one year and becomes an unrestricted free agent next year. This option is unlikely unless Monroe really wants to leave Detroit and feels they will match any offer he gets.

The third option is the Pistons work out a sign-and-trade deal with a team Monroe wants to play for. This is not out of the question, but most sign-and-trade deals are one-sided so Detroit would have to be desperate to get something for Monroe for this to happen.

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Pistons president of basketball operation and head coach Stan Van Gundy has said he wants fair value back if the Pistons deal Monroe so a team will have to really like Monroe and think the Pistons will match any offer they make for this scenario to play out.

The last and most likely option is Monroe signs an offer sheet with another team and Detroit then decides if it wants to match the offer or let Monroe walk for nothing.

The decision will clearly be based on how much the offer sheet is for, but Van Gundy said the team is comfortable with all the options.

“If he gets an offer we can decide to match it,” Van Gundy said. “The process for us has been this, are we comfortable with the option that Greg signs a qualifying offer and he’s free to go in a year? Are we comfortable with the option that Greg gets an offer sheet and for the purposes of how we’ve discussed it, are we comfortable if Greg gets an offer sheet at the max that we know how we’re going to handle that and at every level down. We’ve covered all the scenarios and we know where we stand on all of those things. Of course how you feel about those things effects how you approach trades and things like that. That’s all I can really tell you. ... I’ve spent well over half my time on that whole situation.”

Van Gundy dedicating a majority of his time to Monroe indicates how big of a decision it really is. The decision could effect the team for years to come so Van Gundy is making sure to dedicate the proper amount of time to making the right move.

“It’s certainly an indication of how much I value him,” Van Gundy said. “I think Greg Monroe is a very good, young big guy, 24 years old. I think he’s very good. I think the fair thing to say is we either want him back or we want good value for him. That’s what’s fair to say right now.”

Van Gundy values Monroe, but he won’t be strong-armed into a trade he feels doesn’t help the team.

“The only thing I wouldn’t be comfortable with ... is making a deal because I feel like I got forced into it,” Van Gundy said. “You gotta make a deal or he might leave in a year, no we’re not doing that. ... You can look back through history there are some trades for restricted free agents where you’re just sort of going, ‘What the heck,’ we’re not doing that. If we make a trade, we’re going to get something we like or we will not make a trade.”

The Pistons already have two quality big men in Josh Smith and Andre Drummond under contract. Smith has three years left on his deal and Drummond has two years left on his rookie contract. Already having Smith and Drummond will play a role in the Monroe decision, but Van Gundy is fine with having all three.

Detroit has eight players under contract for next season not including last year’s second-round picks Tony Mitchell and Peyton Siva, who could be retained and this year’s second-round pick Specener Dinwiddie, who may not be ready for training camp.

Van Gundy said the Pistons have around $13.5 million in cap room including Monroe’s cap hold, but the team will look to spread that money between multiple players.

“We’re gonna be active,” Van Gundy said. “With we were are cap space and the number of positions that we want to fill, I don’t think we’re going to create a big splash in terms of our free agent signings. But it’s guys we really like. And if you do it right, I think the splash you make is on the court when the season goes. You can improve your team if you get the right ones of those guys. It’s not going to be guys where media, fans and everybody else is going to be doing cartwheels and think you got the guy whose going to turn it around. ... I think it’s important. I think we can improve some things on our team. I think we’re pretty specific about what we’re looking for and we’ll go out and pursue those guys. And you need a little bit of luck too. You really do.”

What happens with Monroe will also effect what the Pistons do with the rest of free agency.

“That does play into it because where we are now, certainly the areas we willing be targeting would be primarily the wing spots, the two and three, we only have two wing players. We’ve got (Kyle) Singler and (Kentavious) Caldwell-Pope so that’s an area where you’re going to focus most of your attention. But if something did happen in terms of a sign-and-trade or something, you might bring in somebody at one of those positions then it would shift your focus everywhere. I think right now we have to know who we like at all the positions then we can focus later.”